Police: Suspect killed in North Carolina had stolen gun

CARY, N.C. (AP) — A burglary suspect killed by a police officer in North Carolina fired a stolen gun when he was finally cornered about three hours after officers first saw him running from a home in a suburban neighborhood, authorities said.

A gun that had been taken in a rash of burglaries and break-ins early Sunday morning was found near where Shaquian Johnson was shot, Cary Police Chief Tony Godwin said at a news conference Monday.

Johnson, 22, was seen running from the home in the suburban Raleigh town shortly after a woman and her granddaughter called 911 around 2:30 a.m. Sunday after the younger woman saw Johnson creep into the home through the garage door, authorities said.

Police called in tracking dogs and officer A.J. Lopez found Johnson about three hours later. He told investigators he heard a gunshot and saw a muzzle flash as he tried to arrest Johnson, Godwin said.

Lopez and other officers were not wearing body cameras, the police chief said.

Lopez has been taken off patrol as the State Bureau of Investigation looks into the shooting. The 29-year-old officer has worked in Cary since 2015.

Goodwin said residents who live in the neighborhood reported several car break-ins early Sunday morning.

"We are thankful that a little girl and her grandmother are safe," Godwin said. "We are heartbroken that a mother will never see her son again."